1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiographic imaging system provided with a function for displaying a signal reception state between an imaging unit and a signal sending and receiving device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a device that reproduces as a visible image based on a distribution of intensity of radiation transmitted through a subject by converting the radiation intensity distribution into electric signals and processing the electric signals has been widely used in an industrial nondestructive test and medical diagnosis. Also, along with recent progress of semiconductor processing technology, an apparatus for imaging a radiographic image in the same manner by using a semiconductor sensor has been developed.
As compared to conventional radiographic imaging systems using a photosensitive film, these systems have advantages of a considerably wide dynamic range and capability of obtaining a radiographic image that is less subject to a fluctuation in an amount of exposure to radiation. Further, since the systems do not require any chemical treatment as is different from the conventional system using a photosensitive film, the systems have the advantages of solving an issue of waste liquid treatment and instantaneously obtaining an output image.
The imaging apparatus of this type is generally installed and used in an imaging room, and there is a demand for an imaging apparatus that is thinner, of relatively low weight, and portable for the purposes of imaging during a round of a patient and imaging of various postures.
Also, since communication, electric power supply, and the like are enabled by connecting an imaging unit and an operation unit to each other through a cable, in the conventional imaging apparatus, the cable has been a cause of impairing operability when moving the imaging apparatus or performing imaging.
Accordingly, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-210444 discusses an imaging apparatus and a wireless communication system for performing wireless communication between an imaging unit and an operation unit.
In general, in the case of wireless communication between an imaging unit and an operation unit, preparation for imaging is performed in an imaging room, and operation of the imaging unit and irradiation with radiation are performed in a control room. In the imaging method, a person who performs imaging (operator) goes back and forth between the two rooms of the imaging room and the control room. In some cases, an operator may not recognize that the wireless communication is impossible due to a bad signal reception state between the imaging unit and the operation unit until the operator sees a monitor installed in the control room. In such case, the operator has to go back to the imaging room again to perform the imaging preparation all over again.
Also, the wireless communication is in some cases used in X-ray imaging which is performed during a round of a patient. In the X-ray imaging during round visit, an imaging unit is inserted between a patient who is the subject and a bed or a wheelchair to perform imaging. In this case, an operator may not recognize that the wireless communication is impossible due to a bad signal reception state between the imaging unit and an operation unit until the operator sees a monitor on a portable X-ray generation device after performing the imaging preparation. In this case, too, the operator has to perform the imaging preparation all over again.
As described above, one of the issues in radiographic imaging by wireless communication is the problem of improper communication between components and the necessity therefore of the resetting work for the imaging preparation due to bad or inexistent signal reception.